how many calories does my dog need to lose weight
Which Ones? Consult the feeding chart on the back of your dog's food packaging. Jenna Stregowski is the Pet Health and Behavior Editor for, The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Conversely, underfeeding can also lead to health problems due to malnutrition. Some general guidelines: For weight gain: More than 450 calories per cup for kibble, or a higher-fat diet with more than 50 grams of fat per 1,000 calories. To calculate RER, multiply 70 by the body weight in kilograms raised to 3/4 power. When they ween, usually around 3 to 4 weeks, they should be transferred to an appropriate puppy food. Or maybe youve got an overzealous eater who needs some boundaries put in place. Enter 9.07, then press the xy button, then enter 0.75, then press =. Have a family meeting, decide who is going to feed the dog, and get everyone to agree to not feed extra. Certain dog breeds may typically tend to be more or less active. Run this number by your veterinarian to verify they are in agreement. Many people let their dogs lick their plates after they finish eating or while they sit in the dishwasher, but this is where sneaky calories hide, even in BBQ sauce remnants. Do not give meat treats or carbohydrate treats such as bread or pasta. 200 to 275 calories 20 lbs. To estimate "X" and calculate a dog's individual daily caloric needs, consider the dog's activity level, life stage, and any health conditions or environmental circumstances that may affect energy needs. For many dogs, variety is important, and what is exciting or interesting today may be boring tomorrow. WSAVA has provided a quick and easy reference of caloric needs for healthy dogs of ideal weight if you want to skip the calculations. Puzzle toys are widely available and can also be DIYed. your dogs food, consider the habits youre establishing. To take in fewer calories than you burn, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends cutting 500 to 750 calories a day to lose 1 to 1.5 pounds (0.5 to 0.7 kilograms) a week. Start now! Once you have this number, then you will need to divide it by the kcal/cup number that is on your dog food bag. This is also a source of excess calories. RELATED READ: Diet for Overweight Dogs: Weight loss & Management. Suggested Calorie Intake for Dogs by Weight 10 lbs. Then, everybody knows how much the dog has been fed, and how much is left for the day. Eating fewer can lead to weight loss. Those treats can add up! Cut back on calories. 1. It should feel like a brisk walk, and you should break into a light sweat. ", "name": "Look at your dog from their side." That way, every goody your pup gets is packed with nutrition, not a bunch of empty calories. About your dog Approx ideal weight . Ideally, a dog should lose about three to five percent of their body weight each month. Slow feeder dog bowls force your dog to eat at a slower pace, which is great for their digestion and reduces the chances that they will get bloated, choke, or vomit after eating. Yikes! Calculate their resting energy requirement based on weight, Factor in other variables, like age and activity. Your dog needs more or less calories depending on how much energy they use in a day. If the process is taking longer than this, something needs to be changed. Our healthy meals are made with real ingredients in a human-grade kitchen, with no artificial preservatives or gross byproducts. In addition, your vet will need to assess your dog's overall health and make sure there is not an underlying disease affecting your dog's weight. Or maybe your dog has a sensitive stomach that needs some TLC. If you are unsure about your dogs ideal weight, consult your veterinarian. Calculate their resting energy requirement based on weight Factor in other variables, like age and activity 1. Puppies 0-4 Months: It must be multiplied by certain factors to estimate the dog's maintenance energy requirement or MER. Based on your dog's degree of excess weight, your veterinarian may recommend a target weight higher than the ideal weight to start. Dogs that are 22 to 55 pounds should eat 10 to 12 ounces of dog food per day. RER in kcal/day = (ideal or target weight in kg ^ 0.75) x 70 OR 30 x (body weight in kg) +70. Chances are, your dog needs less food than you think. Set up your myVCA account today. For example, some dog breeds also require more or less energy by the inherent nature of their breed. These include: These are all important factors that will determine how many calories your pup needs in a day! We can calculate her weight in kilograms (10 2.2 = 4.5 kg), and plug that into the first equation to calculate her RER. Puzzle toys are widely available and can also be DIYed. Human foods are typically. Just remember: theres no magic weight loss pill for dogs. Even human foods that are safe for dogs to eat can be very high in calories, which can quickly throw their calories for the day out of balance. },{ "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Does your dog have a swinging or sagging stomach? How to calculate your pet's calorie needs. Curious about how much you should be feeding your dog? Bob-A-Lot Treat Dispenser (The Complete Guide!). Check out our sister site, Live Eat Learn! Lastly, remember that slow and steady wins the weight-loss race. General guidelines for safe weight loss in dogs are 3-5% body weight loss per month and about 0.5 pounds per month in cats (1-3% body weight). Daily Calorie Requirements for Dogs. So for example, lets say your dog is 20 pounds. A dog's MER is the estimated number of calories needed in a day. Whether your dog gained extra weight from overfeeding, a sedentary lifestyle, or eating the wrong types of food, the following tips will help you get your pup back on track. It is essential to work with a veterinarian to design a complete and balanced homemade diet for your dog. Offer fresh water instead of food. Feeding treats or table scraps will add to your dog's calorie intake. They have knowledge of your dogs medical needs and will work with you to develop a diet that works for your dog and meets all of its needs. Consult your veterinarian for help determining your dog's ideal body weight and caloric needs. To enhance the palatability of the diet food, try warming the food, adding a flavoring such as a small amount of salmon juice, low-fat chicken or beef broth, or an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. Weight loss is tough for anyone - two- or four-legged! The first thing you can do to help your dog lose weight is to increase the intensity and length of your daily walk. One of the best ways to determine how much you should feed your dog is by looking at your dogs weight or ideal weight if they are overweight and referencing a dog feeding chart. However, these diets are often not as effective as veterinary weight loss diets if a dog needs to lose a significant amount of weight or if your dog has other medical conditions. This should be about a 12-15 minute per mile pace (7-9 minutes per kilometer). Many puzzle toys use treats, but you can always swap these out with kibble or soft, healthy treats, like our Chicken Apple Sausage Bites, which you can easily break into small pieces. To minimize digestive upsets, mix the new diet in with the old diet in gradually increasing proportions. Most men need 2,000-3,000 calories. Dr. Harrison is part of The Spruce Pets veterinary review board. This means a 20 pound dog will need a minimum of 365 calories per day, not taking into account their energy level. With all of the different needs and situations at play, it can be tough to know just how much food your dog really requires. Make dietary changes slowly and monitor closely for weight loss or gain. In this article, well go through everything you need to know about helping your dog manage their weight, as well as some common questions you might have: Simply put, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for how much to feed a dog. Most dogs should be able to reach their weight-loss goals within three to six months. Neutered adult. We recommend pre-allocating your pups daily treats to avoid feeding them too many treats throughout the day. If you are several months into the weight-loss program and are not seeing results, then schedule an appointment with your veterinarian and ask to have your dogs hormones checked. No More Doggy Dishwasher While this seems obvious, auto-feeders are nothing more than unlimited candy machines to a fat dog. Some newer weight loss diets, such as Hills Prescription Diet Metabolic, use specific nutrients that can promote increased metabolism, helping dogs burn calories more quickly. On average, moderate-intensity Pilates sessions (done at 60%-75% maximum heart rate) can burn approximately 200-400 calories per hour. Use this tool to determine the proper number of calories your dog will require on a daily basis to stay fit and trim! Animals use protein as a source of the amino acids they cannot make, and of nitrogen for the ones they can make. You should be able to feel them with light pressure, but not visibly see them. Your dog's body condition is an important thing to consider. Body weight in pounds. Do Ferrets Need Vaccination Shots? However, you can consider Calories and kcals interchangeable terms. For weight loss in dogs and cats, feeding the RER calories for the step-weight loss target weight (or ideal weight in some cases) should be adequate. Heavy dogs tend to physically interact less with their families and are less energetic and playful. To help your dog lose weight, youll need to reduce portion sizes a bit. After a prescribed time, generally fifteen to thirty minutes, remove any uneaten food. That's why dogs must eat more canned foods than dry diets to . Read our. Dublin, OH 43017 2. No, your pup isnt going keto! Too much food can lead to bloat, a medical emergency, and further organ damage. Use this tool to determine the proper number of calories your dog will require on a daily basis. If they do, this means they are likely at a healthy weight. While pets with a healthy muscle condition score, coat and skin quality are probably getting all the protein (and other nutrients) they need, problems with these body systems can be due to a wide variety of nutritional and non-nutritional problems, which can be diagnosed by a veterinarian. You cannot control who eats what when you are not around. The exact amount of calories an individual animal needs to maintain a healthy weight is variable and influenced by many factors including genetics, age, breed, and activity level. Once the treats are gone, your dog wont receive any more until tomorrow. Affiliate of Mars Inc. 2023 | Copyright VCA Animal Hospitals all rights reserved. If your dog exercises, youll need to add more calories into their diet. 10-Pound Adult (Underweight): 245375 calories/day, 10-Pound Adult (Overweight): 180210 calories/day, 50-Pound Adult (Fixed): 7501,200 calories/day, 50-Pound Adult (Intact): 7501,350 calories/day, 100-Pound Adult (Active): 1,4301,700 calories/day, 100-Pound Adult (Obese): 1,4001,430 calories/day. Depending on the issue, your pup may need additional help to lose weight, and the condition may need to be treated before they can effectively do so. ( 7-9 minutes per kilometer ) as bread or pasta uneaten food at your dog maintenance! Not feed extra: theres no magic weight loss is tough for anyone two-... As a source of the amino acids they can make curious about how much the dog a. Foods than dry diets to feel them with light pressure, but not visibly them... 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Read: diet for your dog lose weight is to increase the intensity and of. May be boring tomorrow Dispenser ( the Complete Guide! ) day, not a bunch empty. ( 7-9 minutes per kilometer ) widely available and can also be.. Unsure about your dogs ideal weight, Factor in other variables, like and... A 12-15 minute per mile pace ( 7-9 minutes per kilometer ) need to portion! Complete Guide! ) loss or gain or pasta is taking longer than this, something to!
